Gateway Games: Ogun State inaugurates committee for 2024 National Sports Festival

 

Ogun State government has inaugurated a 29-man committee of Team Ogun, for the upcoming 22nd National Sports Festival (NSF), tagged, “Gateway Games 2024”, which would come up between Sunday, January 12, 2025 and Sunday, January 26, 2025.

Commissioner for Sports Development, Hon. Wasiu Isiaka, made this known during the inauguration at the Sports Hall of the Alake Sports Complex, Ijeja, Abeokuta, noted that the Festival was one of the most important events in the national sporting calendar to foster unity among youths in Nigerian, regardless of ethnic, religion and political affiliations.

Hon. Isiaka disclosed that the hosting rights granted the state was through the efforts of the state Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, to lay a solid foundation for sports development, and a veritable tool to engage as well as create a greater future for youths in the state, saying the state is not only hosting the Festival but equally participating as a team.

He expressed optimism that the festival would leave a legacy of capacity building, skills transfer, economic growth, sporting facilities and infrastructural development in the annals of the state, adding that it would serve as an affiliation of the limitless potential by revealing shared values of excellence, thoroughness, industriousness and hospitality of the state.

While assuring that the Governor would provide necessary infrastructure, facilities, accommodation for a befitting festival, informing that government would collaborate with relevant stakeholders, employ modern technologies, provide top-notch security, medical services for safety and wellbeing of all athletes, coaches and officials.

Hon. Isiaka stated that the Committee is saddled with the responsibility of overseeing a seamless, hitch-free festival for the 36 states of the federation and FCT and steer the affairs of the event, urging members to bring their wealth of experience cum expertise to bear, towards achieving a world-class festival, to the envy of all.

“The committee would work with me as Commissioner, to prepare and present a formidable team that is capable of representing the Gateway State in the various sports”, he said.

The Committee comprises great sportsmen and women, sports administrators of high repute, media practitioners and technocrats, among whom were, Chief Falilat Ogunkoya, Prince Tunji Onatolu, Alh. Ganiu Majekodunmi, Mr. Adesola Faleti and Biodun Alabi, among others.

Responding on behalf of other committee members, Prince Tunji Onatolu, expressed appreciation to the state government for giving them the opportunity to serve, promising to assiduously work to ensure a hitch- free festival.